Mangled arm or legs, concussion, broken ribs - all were common injuries among the crew of an ocean-going vessel in the early 17th Century. One of the most dangerous occupations in those times was to be a crewman at sea-whether the vessel was
military or merchant class. Because of long months at sea, the mercantile companies were as concerned about the health of
their crews as the military. Scurvy and constipation were the leading causes of death-elated illnesses. What is more,
common contagious diseases were a constant threat to the well-being of the mariners. It became obvious that every ship
should have its own surgeon-physician. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that a ship's surgeon should be aboard a
merchant ship such as Mayflower when she departed on her historic voyage to establish a colony in America.

Physicians and surgeons of that day were reluctant to serve in the armed forces, therefore the medical needs of the military
had to be met by the Barber-Surgeons, who were willing to serve in that capacity. However, they were restricted from
using inward remedies or doing internal surgery. The Barbers and Surgeons had been separate divisions of the medical
profession until they joined as the Company of Barber-Surgeons in 1540. (Surgeons were responsible for internal surgery
only. Physicians could prescribe internal medicine only. Barbers could cut hair, treated external problems and let blood.)
The willingness of the Barber-Surgeons to serve in the army and navy placed them in the favor and blessing of the State, and
they were soon granted license to practice both internal medicine and surgery on military and merchant vessels.

Little has been written in Pilgrim literature about the healing arts which were known at the time-a far more extensive
knowledge than the contemporary reader might realize. In the accounts of Bradford and Winslow, the reader is made aware
of the presence of a ship's surgeon on the voyage, but little or no attention is given to the several others on board who were
trained and experienced in providing medical assistance.

Giles Heale, the young ship surgeon on the Mayflower, had been licensed in 1619 by the Company of Barber-Surgeons.
Thomas Weston found him in his own London parish of St. Giles-in-the-Field. He may not have been a "true surgeon";
however, he probably received training in surgery, anatomy and the dispensing of internal medicines as part of his education.
Little else is known of him beyond the fact he returned to London an set up a practice in Drury Lane, London, until his
death in 1652. We know his name only because he signed the will of William Mullins along with John Carver and Master
Christopher Jones.

It is quite reasonable to believe Giles Heale might have had in his possession a copy of the book, The Surgeon's Mate,
published in 1617 by John Woodall. Woodall had been appointed surgeon-general for the East India Company and was
responsible for inspecting the surgeons' chests for every ship going to sea for that trading company. His was the first
textbook in any language for the guidance of ship surgeons, and was immediately hailed as a work of great importance. In
his book Woodall describes the uses of about 36 major categories of surgical instruments necessary to the ship surgeon's
chest. The typical ship surgeon's chest might have well contained a total of 75 to 100 surgical instruments. In addition to
the above, Woodall lists over 50 other items which he considered essential, such as basins, porringers, cups, weights and
scales, pestles and mortars, needles, thread, strainers, etc.

Some medical equipment of the type which might have been found in the surgeon's chest on board Mayflower.

Bradford reported that Dr. Samuel Fuller was the surgeon and physician to the Pilgrims. Fuller had joined the Scrooby
congregation sometime before it moved to Holland in 1609. A well-educated man of considerable means, he brought with
him an apprentice by the name of William Butten, who died two days before arrival at Cape Cod. Whether Fuller ever took
a medical degree is not known. However, he may well have attended lectures in medicine and surgery at Leiden University
during the Pilgrim residence there, although no records have been found to verify that. Because of his excellent reputation,
the leading men of Salem and Boston called upon Fuller to bleed and convert Puritans at those place, and a number of letters
are preserved which speak highly of his successes. It is believed by some that Fuller may have acquired a good deal of his
medical knowledge from William Brewster, since it is quite possible Brewster could have received an education in the
medical arts as a part of his studies at Cambridge.

Thomas Palmer, a physician who lived most of his life in Plymouth, left a manuscript entitled The Admirable Secrets of
Physicke & Chirurgery, dated 1690. Palmer states on the title page that his work was "transcribed from a manuscript by Dr.
Fuller" (apparently now lost). There are three possible "Dr. Fullers" at that period of time. One lived, worked and died in
England, and therefore seems unlikely to have been the doctor mentioned by Palmer. Another was the Pilgrim doctor,
Samuel Fuller. Another Dr. Fuller lived in the area of Barnstable.

Edward Winslow and William Bradford may also have learned something of medicine from William Brewster. The fact that
Edward Winslow went to visit the ailing Indian sachem, Massasoit, and gave him some medicines which brought him back to health suggests that he had some understanding of the healing arts.

Stephen Hopkins had served as a clerk to the minister on the ill-fated voyage of the Sea Venture before joining the Pilgrim
group on the Mayflower. It is conceivable that he, also, had learned some basic skills in the art of healing from that
clergyman.

Thus, on the surface, it would seem there were a number of passengers on the Mayflower who had at least some knowledge
of the medical arts and were qualified to treat various illnesses or injuries which might be encountered in the proces of
establishing a new colony-not to mention a number of the wives and mothers aboard Mayflower who most certainly were
familiar with a number of home remedies.